


Memories

by AnotherWriterWhoWrites



Series: Night World [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Child Abuse, Gen, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-27
Updated: 2013-02-27
Packaged: 2017-12-03 19:59:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/702033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnotherWriterWhoWrites/pseuds/AnotherWriterWhoWrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maria and Louise are sisters that are shunned from society. Daniel is a vampire that takes a liking to them and changes Maria and waits for Louise to grow up to change her. However one night she is taken by vampire hunters and her memories are erased.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She was a sight to behold really. The way she walked and exhibited confidence with every step in contrast to the women who seemed to shrink with each step they took. 

Her looks also made her stand out. Among the dark haired girls her silver hair stood out completely. Instead of a proper bun she allowed her hair to fall free to the floor. Her eyes were as red as the blood he drank and missed nothing as they glanced around. 

Daniel watched her every movement from the shadows with ease. This girl was different from the others, evident in practically everything she did. Enticing and entrapping him, like a spider capturing a fly in their web.

She was walking in the shadows, eyes coming to a rest on every person that passed her. She wasn’t even wearing a dress as all the women had to. She was wearing pants and a shirt tucked into them along with boots. A long overcoat covered her however when she walked forward Daniel was able to see a shine of metal. Two thin and long metal swords were tied to her waist. 

He could hear her heart beating heavily in her chest. Her breaths were labored and deep, attempted to be measured and calm. The girl was afraid of something.

Every loud noise seemed to startle her, as she brought her head up towards the direction of each noise. Finally she bared her teeth in both annoyance and anger. 

“I’m not afraid of you bastards.” she hissed. “I am not afraid.”

Daniel watched her from the rooftops. He licked his lips as his fangs lengthened over his lips and his eyes narrowed. 

This girl’s blood would be wild. It would be fire running through his body, almost giving an illusion to having a beating heart and life once more.

The question wasn’t whether or not he would drink her blood, he would either way. The real question was whether or not he should turn the girl as well and let her join his ranks.

Perhaps further watching and a test would be in order. He could wait. Being a vampire ensured that he would be able to wait for the things he wanted.

A curse and a yell reached his ears. He looked down once more to see the girl had been attacked by a group of men. 

“Heathen!” one of the men yelled. “Whore!”

“Fuck you!” the girl screamed. She drew her swords from her sides and began to block and attack. 

Her moves were fast and precise for a human woman. He knew that women in the human realm were put down and never offered a chance to learn so she either had to learn on her own by watching others or had managed to find a teacher who would accept a girl.

Daniel didn’t want to blink in fear of missing something. He watched with eager eyes as she cut down the men attacking her. 

“Little slut!” one of them yelled as they swung his sword towards her. 

In an answer the girl had raised her sheath that held the swords and used it to block the man’s attack before using her own sword and attacking. 

She was able and not afraid to fight. Her eyes were clear and the words were clearer, she wasn’t afraid to kill them. She was beautiful and captivating. 

It was decided. He was going to have her. 

Once she finished attacking he would approach her and place her under his trance where he would then for the night take refuge in an abandoned house he had found so the change would easily and undisturbed happen. 

Movement caught his eye and they widened. A man was coming up from her behind with a thick and sharp dagger in his hand. Before he could announce to the girl the man’s presence the man had jumped and buried his dagger deep with the left side of the girls back.

The girl gave a choked sound, muffled by the surprise and blood in her mouth. The dagger was long enough that the tip had emerged from the other side. Daniel could hear her heart clutch around the dagger slightly as it gave its feeble beats. 

She fell to her knees as the swords slipped out from her hands and fell to her side whimpering slightly.

Daniel growled as he jumped from the rooftop and landed gracefully on his feet in front of the men. 

“Cowards who attack when the back is turned.” Daniel growled. “Deserve only to die a most pitiful death.”

With a blast of magic and sound of skin being ripped and blood falling to the ground the men fell dead. The girl was too far gone into the pain and almost death to realize what was happening. 

Daniel turned her so that she was on her back looking up at the stars and sky. Her eyes were clouded over and there was a trickle of blood coming from the corner of her mouth. 

Daniel smiled at her and brushed her hair; her beautiful, long, soft, silver hair, away from her neck. His fangs fully extended her reached down and bit her on the side of her neck.

Blood filled his mouth and he gave a moan. It was just as delicious, just as full or life and fire as he had thought it would have been. He swallowed eagerly and greedily as he continued to drink. 

When her heart had stopped enough he tilted his head and his fangs inside of her and breathed out as he extracted the venom from him and pushed it into her. 

The girl gave a mixture of a sigh and a whimper.

“Sister.” she whispered before she closed her eyes and gave into the unconsciousness and allowed her body to start to change.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Louise was awakened by a loud noise. As she sat up in her bed on her side the blanket covering her fell of her slightly. Her hand curled on her sword that she was sleeping next to.

“Sister?” she whispered. 

There was no answer. Even if it was her sister she wouldn’t have been able to hear Louises whisper.

Louise crawled out of the makeshift bed, her nightgown muffling her knees as she crawled. She peeked around the corner and her eyes widened. 

Men. Men had entered the house she lived with sister. Something that sister had always told her was that if men had entered their house they were uninvited and if sister wasn’t home then Louise was to get out of the house immediately.

Without wasting another moment Louise jumped to her feet as silently as she was able to she grabbed the two bags that were leaning against the door as well as her sword before she moved the closet that was also against the wall. She crawled through the hole in the wall that the closet hid and was almost immediately outside. 

Men surrounded the house however she had the advantage. She knew this land as well as her sister and the men didn’t. She was able to maneuver through the dark. 

“The brat escaped! Find her! Capture her!” she heard one of the men scream. 

Louise ran through the forest, her nightgown brushing against the dirt of the ground and being scratched. When light had suddenly came from the direction she had come from she couldn’t help but turn back to take a glance. 

Fire. The men had set her and her sisters home on fire. 

“There she is!” she heard another man yell.

No time to run. To time to hide. Nowhere to hide. 

Louise shifted the bags so that they were in one hand and with her other one she drew her sword. 

The five year old crouched low to the ground and growled as she prepared to attack.


	2. Chapter 2

Daniel, while he himself had never changed a person into a vampire, had often watched others do the transformation and he knew that when the newly turned vampire awoke they were confused and had no clue on what happened. Like little children that needed to be guided.

That being said when the transformation was complete and he saw the girl open her eyes he smiled at her. 

“How are you feeling?” he asked her gently.

He was, however, not in the slightest prepared to the girl to jump at him, slam him against the wall, and place her hand tightly around his throat.

“Who the hell are you?” she hissed. “What the hell did you do?”

“Let go of me.” he hissed back at her. 

She tightened her grip on his throat. “Not until you give me some answers.”

Daniel growled. He brought his hand up and with the heel of his palm he slammed it against her the side of her chest. She gasped when she felt some of her ribs crack.

She let go of Daniels neck stumbling backwards as her arm curled around her side. 

“You bastard.” she wheezed. “Weren’t you ever taught never to hit a woman?”

“I was.” Daniel said massaging his neck. “However when that woman is gripping me by my neck and cutting off my airways I tend to forget those lessons.”

The girl was about to retort something when a look of horror crossed her face. She glanced slowly down at her stomach where she had been hit. A look of amazement flashed on her face as she felt her ribs realign themselves and heal on their own. 

“What the hell…just happened?” she asked hoarsely.

Daniel grinned. “I am glad that you asked. Let me fill you in on a few details. You were attacked by a group of men. One coward attacked you when your back was turned and stabbed you clear through the chest and through your heart.”

The girl pressed her hand around her heart and her eyes widened when she realized that she could no longer feel its beats.

“I’m…dead?” she whispered. 

“In a manner of speaking.” Daniel said shrugging. 

The girl suddenly glared at him. “And who the hell are you? The Angel of Death? Well you can fuck off because I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Daniel laughed. “I am nowhere near an angel, let alone an angel of death. I am a vampire.”

The girl had a blank look on her face. “A what?”

He frowned. “You never heard of a vampire?”

She shook her head. “I never liked hearing about things that don’t exist.”

Daniel grinned showing off his teeth. “Oh I assure you my darling; vampires very well exist in this world.”

“And you…did what to me?” the girl asked. 

“Well to put things simply, I turned you into a vampire.” Daniel said simply.

The girl nodded slowly. Daniel didn’t notice her hand going to the sword that was still strapped to her side until she was flying at him with it drawn; he barely found the time to move to the side where the metal of the sword embedded itself deeply in the wood of the house they were currently in.

“You changed me into a fucking vampire?” she hissed, their faces mere centimeters from one another. “Why the fuck would you do something like that, you little idiot?”

“You would have preferred that I allow you to die?” Daniel shot back bringing their faces closer.

“I’m sure you’ve seen people die before in front of you and you didn’t turn them into vampires.” she said. “What the fuck made me so special?”

“I’m not sure.” he admitted. “But there is this special tugging feeling I get whenever I look at you so I know it’s something big. Something I don’t really understand.”

“A charmer. There’s something new.” the girl sneered. 

Daniel laced his hand in the back of her head, tangling his fingers within her hair, and brought their lips together in a kiss. 

The girl startled lightly before she relaxed and placed her hands on his hips. 

Suddenly she grabbed him through his pants and twisted hard. 

Daniel immediately broke the kiss and tried to push her away, if anything she gripped harder. 

“Do that again without my permission.” she said in a low voice. She twisted her hand once more, Daniel firmly refused to acknowledge the fact that he whimpered. “And I will cut this thing of yours off.”

She slowly released her grip smirking the entire time.

“Understand?” she asked. 

Daniel glared at her. “Completely.”

She glanced outwards and her eyes widened when she saw the afternoon light. “How long was I out?”

“All of last night, morning, and about half of the afternoon.” Daniel answered limping towards her. “The transformation takes some time to finish.”

“Last night. Morning. And half of the afternoon.” she whispered. “Oh god, Louise!”

“Who?” Daniel asked however the girl had walked to the door. 

“My little sister Louise. Because of you I left her all alone for all this time.” she snarled. “Fuck.”

“You seem to be forgetting the part that because of me you are alive.” Daniel said. 

“Fuck you, my little sister needs me.” she said.

Daniel grabbed her arm and pulled her back before she could walk outside. “I don’t think so.”

The girl tried to pull her arm out of his grip. “Let me go!”

“You are a vampire now, a newborn vampire.” Daniel said. “Vampires can’t walk in the sunlight, we burn. And you especially.”

“You just expect me to wait until it becomes dark to go to my sister?” she hissed at him.

Daniel pulled his cloak off and draped it on her shoulders. “No, I expect you to cover yourself and then go to your sister. And I am coming with you.”

“The hell you are.” she said as she fixed the cloak to cover her. 

“Here’s another little vampire fact for you to learn.” Daniel said. “We have one main source of food, human blood.”

The girl paused and looked up at Daniel. “What?”

“We drink. Human blood. To survive.” Daniel said slowly. “And if you go to your sister alone I am sure that you will drink from her and most likely kill her.”

Her eyes narrowed to slits. “I would never do anything to hurt her.”

“When you are thirsty and you need blood there’s no room for logical thought or what you would or wouldn’t do in a situation.” Daniel said. “I’m coming to make sure you don’t hurt your sister by accident.”

“Fine.” she spat. “Whatever.” With that she turned and left the building, making sure the cloak was covering her completely. Daniel jogged to her side after covering himself as well.

“By the way.” he said. “What’s your name?”

“Maria.” she said. “Maria Beilschmidt.”

“Maria.” he repeated. “My name is Daniel Héderváry.”

“I didn’t ask and I don’t care.” Maria said as they quickly walked on the road.

“Well you should care, considering I’m your sire and everything.” Daniel said. 

“And sire is…?”

“The one who changed you and is basically in charge of taking care of the newborn until the sire deems that they are ready to live on their own.” Daniel explained.

Maria gave a brisk laugh. “I don’t need anyone’s permission to live on my own.”

“I can see that.” Daniel retorted. “However you are my responsibility and as my responsibility I will take care of you.”

“You can take your responsibility and shove it up your-” Maria stopped suddenly and breathed in deeply. “Do…do you smell that?”

Daniel lifted his face towards the sky and took a breath. “What?”

“Smoke.” Maria said. “I think I can smell smoke.”

“I smell it too now.” Daniel said. “And it seems to be coming from inside the woods.”

Maria took off into the forest as fast as she was able to with Daniel following her from behind. When she stopped suddenly he ran into her. She gave a gasp and placed her hand over her mouth as she looked in front of her.

What remained of a burnt house now stood there, the smell of the fire, wood, and stone still remained in the air. The ceiling had collapsed onto itself and the walls lay in pieces around them. 

“I’m guessing that this was your home.” Daniel said dryly.

Maria gave a low moan combined with a cry as she fell to her knees. “My sister…is she….was she…”

Daniel walked to the remains and breathed in deeply as he kicked a few pieces out of his way. “I don’t smell any burnt flesh of any kind. I don’t think your sister was in here when the place was burned.”

Maria looked around them wildly. “Then where is she! Where would she go?”

“You know her better than I do.” Daniel said. He looked to the side and narrowed his eyes, he walked to where the grass had been stained. Kneeling he touched it lightly. “Blood was spilt here.”

Maria stood on shaking legs. “Blood?”

Daniel nodded. “It looks like there was a fight here, although I can’t tell whose blood it is.”

Maria turned in a circle. “There’s almost no one in this town that we, she especially because she listens to whatever I say, can go to for help. I have no idea where she might be.”

“How old is your sister?” Daniel asked.

“Five years old.” Maria whispered. “She’s everything to me.”

“And what happened to your parents?” he asked as he came to her side once more. 

Maria turned around once more before she decided to go deeper into the forest with Daniel following her again. “You want the long boohoo sob story or the short version of it?”

“Short version if you please.” 

“When I was about ten years old and Louise was only a few months I overheard them one night talking about how my father had lost his business and how bad things were going for them.” Maria said. She stopped for a moment and looked around before continuing forward once more. “I heard them say that they were going to sell myself to a slave market, they said that they would get a good price for me, and later if things didn’t pick up and my father didn’t make another business or something else they could always sell Louise as well. So after I heard that I gathered as much food as I was able to, one of my father’s axes, picked up Louise, and I took her away from there to live on our own. And we never looked back.”

“Some humans do terrible things to their own kin.” Daniel sighed. “The vampires truly adore their own and would never do something like that.”

Maria shrugged. “I don’t care about them. Hadn’t for a while, they are in the past and Louise is the present.”

“Such loyalty, it is almost rare to see this in a human these days.” Daniel commented. “All of them care only about themselves.”

“Like I said, Louise means everything to me.” Maria said.

Daniel noted more cut marks on the trees that they passed. “Unless they were fighting air.” he remarked. “Or your sister is somewhat of a good swordswoman.”

“Of course she is.” Maria snapped. “I taught her.”

“I’m just saying,” Daniel started to say before the wind blew towards him. He stopped and breathed it in once more. “I smell a human close by, a girl I believe.”

“Where?” Maria demanded. 

“A little bit more ahead.” he said. 

Maria immediately ran ahead of them. Daniel shook his head before he followed her. They entered a clearing where Maria was wildly turning around once more. 

“Is she here?” she asked. “Is she?”

Daniel closed his eyes. “The scent seems to be coming from someplace combined with a tree.”

Maria growled and shouted out “Louise! Louise, are you here? Answer me!”

“Sister?” a weak voice called out.

Before Daniel could blink Maria had jumped in the direction the voice came from and was hugging a small girl to her chest tightly. 

“Louise! You’re alright! You’re alright!” Maria exclaimed. “Are you hurt?”

The girl, Louise, shook her head. She was covered in practically head to toe with blood, although it was easy to tell that it wasn’t hers, dirt, mud, grass, and leaves. The poor child looked as if she had gotten no sleep and looked ready to fall at any given moment. However the smile on her face and the happiness in her eyes over clouded everything else.

“Sister! You were gone and the men from the town had came!” Louise exclaimed. “They tried to take me but I fought back and then they set our home on fire! They tried to take me again but I ran through the forest. I used the swords just like you taught me.” She nodded to the swords strapped to her side like her sisters. “And then I got here because I couldn’t run anymore! Why didn’t you come back?”

Maria hugged her sister. “I am so sorry.” she whispered. “I am so sorry. But I’m here now. I’m here and nothing is going to hurt you anymore.”

“They burned our home.” Louise said “But I got those two bags that you always said were most important.” She pulled out two bags from her hiding spot. “But what are we going to do now?”

“This is where I come in.” Daniel injected. Louise looked at him for the first time and her eyes widened and her hands came to grip her sisters clothing tighter. 

“You don’t need to be afraid of me little one.” Daniel said smiling at her. “In fact I am going to help you. Like I said Maria I am your sire and I am responsible for you, that includes your sister as well. The two of you are going to come live with me.”


	3. Chapter 3

Louise was almost beside herself when they had arrived at Daniels home. 

Actually less of a home and more of a mansion. 

“This is just like those picture books!” Louise had gasped as she grabbed Marias hand. “Exactly!”

Maria was smiling as she watched her sister. “I’m glad that you’re happy.” She glanced around. “I’m going to have to say that this is going to be our home for a while.”

“Forever actually.” Daniel added as he walked into the room they were in surrounded by servants. “When a vampire sires another vampire the created with always remain with their sire until the day that we free them and take back our position as maker.”

“How the hell do you take back your position of maker?” Maria asked as Louise had hidden herself behind her elder sister. 

“We take back all the responsibilities as maker because we believe that our ‘children’ had learned enough to be independent.” Daniel said. He nodded at the servants and four immediately stepped towards Maria and Louise.

Maria stepped back with her hand on Louise’s shoulder. “What the hell do they want?”

“To serve you.” Daniel said. “They are the vampires that are my servants.”

“Uh huh.” Maria said watching them carefully, one hand around Louise who was still behind her and the other hand going towards the swords still strapped to her sides.

“You have nothing to fear while you are living here.” Daniel said patiently. He looked at Louise. “Neither of you.”

“Now.” he said clapping his hands together. “Shall I show you two to your rooms? They are next to each other.”

“Together.” Maria said. “I don’t want to be apart from my sister.”

Daniel frowned. “I can’t do that.”

“Why not?” Maria hissed.

“You are a newly turned vampire.” Daniel reminded her. “I’m a bit surprised because it seems that you haven’t gotten the urge to drink blood just yet because there is a human right there, your sister, and you haven’t tried to drink from her yet.”

“She’s my sister.” Maria said reminding him. “I would never do anything to hurt her, consciously or unconsciously.”

“Regardless, we don’t want anything to happen and it is better to be safe than sorry.” Daniel said. “For the time being, until I believe that you can control yourself, you will sleep in separate rooms. Next to one another but separate.”

Marias eyes narrowed however she didn’t say anything. It was clear that she was going to disobey the first moment that she was able to.

Daniel sighed and when he spoke this time his voice had a dangerous edge to it. “As your maker I command you, until I say so you and your sister are to sleep in separate rooms.”

He saw Maria freeze and gave a low gasp. Her entire body shook and she closed her eyes. Louise glanced up at her sister concerned. 

“Sister?” she asked. “Are you alright?”

“She is just fine.” Daniel said walking towards her and placing his hand on her shoulder. He smiled down at Louise. “Please follow Anna to your room; you can relax there while I take care of your sister.”

Leading Maria through the hallway Daniel lightly pushed her into his office. Closing the door behind him he crossed to his desk where a blood holding a dark red liquid stood with two glasses to the side. He filled one of the glasses and turned towards Maria who was sitting on the chairs watching him carefully.

He handed the glass to Maria who sniffed it once before pulling away in disgust.

“I gave it to you so you could drink it.” Daniel said. 

“That is blood.” Maria said. “I am not drinking blood.”

“That is human blood and you will drink it.” Daniel said. “You are a vampire now.”

“I might be a vampire but I am by no means drinking human blood.” Maria said placing the glass to the side. “Tough luck.”

“A vampire newly turned needs to drink blood within the first twenty four hours.” Daniel said as he walked around the desk and sat in his own seat. “If you don’t your mind starts to collapse until nothing insanity remains. Then you will go on a feeding frenzy that will not stop until you are filled completely with human blood. I’ve seen it happen once and the vampire in question killed nearly twenty people before they were stopped.”

Maria was glaring at him. 

“You might be in a home filled with vampires,” Daniel continued examining his nails on his left hand. “However you forget, there is one human here. Small and not that much blood to satisfy you even if you drain each and every drop.”

“Never.” Maria whispered.

“It will happen.” Daniel said. “Remember when I had just uttered the words ‘As your maker’?”

Maria nodded. 

“As your maker I can make you do anything I want.” Daniel said. “And no matter what I told you to do you would do it. I can even order you to kill your sister and you will do it with no hesitation. You don’t drink that cup of blood willingly then I will order you to do it.”

Maria didn’t move, she merely increased her glare at Daniel.

Daniel sighed. “Maria, as your maker I command you. Drink the blood in the glass.”

Moving with lightning fast reflexes Maria had grabbed the glass and downed the contents in gulps without spilling a single drop. Her eyes widened as she realized what she had done.

“Good.” Daniel said nodding as he rummaged through his desk until he found a necklace, a black iron cross and placed it on the desk. His hand lit up with magic as he placed his hand over the necklace. “Perhaps now that you got the taste you won’t be so hesitant next time to do it on your own.”

“I hate you.” she whispered. “I fucking hate it.”

“Crude language does nothing for you.” Daniel said his attention still focused on the necklace. “Loss of freedom however small does intend to rub people the wrong way occasionally.”

“What are you doing?” Maria demanded. “Why did you bring us here?”

“I brought you here because I am your sire.” Daniel reminded her. “I am responsible for you.”

“And my sister?” Maria demanded. “She’s not a vampire.”

“Yet.” Daniel said his hand waving over the necklace. The black color seemed to glow and deepen at the same time. 

If possible Maria’s face paled. “What?”

“I don’t think you would want to live without your sister, and as a vampire you are now immortal.” Daniel said glancing up at her. “You don’t need to look so scared; I’m not going to hurt her.”

“Then what are you going to do?” Maria asked.

“Wait for her to get older, perhaps around eighteen or nineteen.” Daniel said thoughtfully. “Until then teach her whatever she needs to know. And once she is eighteen or whatever the age that is selected for her I will turn her into a vampire.”

“I want to do it.” Maria said. 

Daniel shook his head. “A vampire cannot turn others until they reach one hundred years.”

Suddenly a scream echoed through the mansion. A child’s scream.

“Louise!” Maria yelled jumping to her feet and running out. Daniel scooped the necklace into his hands and followed her.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Daniel entered the bedroom where Maria was holding Louise on her lap and was whispering words of comfort to her. 

“What happened?” he asked softly.

Maria looked up at him with accusing eyes. “One of your servants, Anna or whatever her name was, attacked and tried to drain my little sister.” she said. “She only got away because I taught her how to fight.”

“I’m sorry.” Daniel said kneeling in front of Louise. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

Louise tightened her grip on her sister.

Daniel pulled a necklace out from his pocket. “I have something for you. a special necklace.” He held it in his palm as Louise looked at it. “I placed a part of my own magic in here to create a protective charm. No vampire other than myself and if you sister can control herself, which will only happen when I say so, can touch you.”  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Maria was screaming as she threw herself at the shields. She clawed at the invisible barrier ignoring how her hands and skin burned at the contact. 

“Louise.” Maria screamed. “Louise!”

There was no answer from the unconscious child as the vampire hunters carried her away.

“Cowards.” Daniel coughed as he stood on shaking legs. He glanced around. “Complete cowards.”

“Do something.” Maria screamed at him. “Do something.”

“This is human magic, vampire magic has no effect on it.” Daniel said. “All we can do it wait for it to fade.”

“They are taking my sister!” Maria screamed. “And you just want me to sit and wait?”

“Your sister is also human.” Daniel said, trying to comfort her. “They do not harm humans regardless of who is raising them.”

“Then what are they going to do to her?” Maria asked.

“I don’t know.” Daniel said. He quickly added “But I do know who will know.”  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
“There.” Daniel said nodding with his hand towards the hut sitting in the middle of the forest. “That is where the Healer Arthur Kirkland lives, he will know what the hunters want to do with your sister.”

“Kirkland.” Daniel said walking briskly into the hut. “I have business with you.”

Arthur looked up wearily at Daniel. “What can I do for you Daniel?”

“My sister was taken by those vampire hunters.” Maria said coming into the hut. “She wasn’t a vampire, not even one drop. One hundred percent human. What are they going to do to her?”

Arthur gave her a mournful look. “Are you two orphans?”

Maria nodded. 

“Then there is nothing you can do for her.” Arthur said turning back to his bottles that were on the shelves.

Maria snarled and reached out to grab Arthur by the shoulder and turned him to face her.

“Don’t you are dare tell me there is nothing we can do and expect me to accept that.” she hissed. “There is always something that can be done.”

Arthur sighed and sat on the stool next to the table. Looking up at the ceiling he said “The Bringers of Light, as the hunters of the children of the night call themselves, favor orphans, especially when they are very young, above all. Because they have no one to restrict what they could do with children. Parents can at any point tell them to stop the teachings if they feel the lessons went too far. Orphans however the lessons may go to breaking point and no one would speak for them.”

He looked Maria in the eyes. “Because there is no one watching over the lessons. The teacher. Orphans are sent to the ice filled lands of the north to be taught by Ivan Braginsky, the devil encased in ice.”

Daniel took a sharp breath. “Sending children to learn from him? Hey are being sent to their deaths!”

“Some, most actually, do die.” Arthur said. He idly played with the ring of his finger. “The children that are sent are very young. The youngest person there that had ever been there was I believe three months and the eldest child was about ten years. These children either barely survive, die, or end up begging for death. As for those who survive, they are never truly normal again. Their minds are cracked and their bodies nearly undestroyable.”

“What does he do to them?” Daniel asked.

“He destroys them.” Arthur said still staring at his ring. “Mentally, emotionally, physically. He breaks them down completely and with the remains he rebuilds them into what he desires.”

“He will torture the children to the brink of insanity, and by torture I mean rough and blood filled torture, and leave it to them if they crawl back or if they plunge into insanity.” Arthur continued. “He even leaves the tools for suicide in the open should the children decide to take that route.”

“This man is a monster.” Maria whispered. “Why do they let this happen?”

“I will repeat myself. Because they are orphans.” Arthur said. “No sane parent would allow their child to go to his man. However these children do not have parents to speak for them.”

“Oh god.” Maria whimpered. “Oh god.”

“No.” Arthur said turning back to his work. “God has nothing to do with this.”

“And before you believe that she will hold onto the belief that you will rescue her. Don’t believe it.” Arthur said. “The Association has magic that can erase and remake a person’s memories. A child’s mind is easy to remodel.”


	4. Chapter 4

Fifty three. That was the number of children that were placed in the cart together before leaving. Fifty three children picked up from a series of orphanages.

The owners of the orphanages didn’t look too upset at the loss of the children. If anything they were relieved that someone was taking the children.

Some were siblings and the elder ones were comforting the younger ones. Others who were completely alone were either crying with no one to console them or were attempting to be indifferent about the situation.

They were heading north, that was the only thing clear from their journey. They were heading north where there was snow and ice; the children noticed the signs getting clearer and clearer with each passing hour.

In the beginning there was whispering of escaping. The children were all in the single cart with the adults on the sides and guiding the cart on their own horses. It would be easy to escape if not for the dogs that was always on the horses sides of their masters. 

One child had attempted to run away. In the middle of the night when they had stopped for the horses to rest for the night. It was pitch dark and the child had soundlessly gotten out of the cart and was making his way away. 

One of the adults had noticed, how no one knew, and shot the child with her bow and arrow through the back of the knee causing the child to fall to the ground screaming. With a single motion of her head the woman set the dogs onto the child.

None of the children were able to look away in horror as the dogs eagerly tore into the child as the night swallowed his screams and the dogs ate their fill of the body.

A few days later another child tried to escape during the day when they were passing through the woods, perhaps in hopes that the trees would offer some cover.

However the outcome was the same. A shot in the knee, a nod, and the dogs were on the body before the poor child even realized what had happened. 

Occasionally a child would fall out of the cart, merely because of the bumps in the road and them leaning over the side a bit too much or they weren’t able to hold on properly, the child would scream and throw their arms around their head in an attempt to guard it from the arrows and dogs. 

Instead, knowing the child had fallen and was not trying to escape, one of the adults would go up to them, pick them up by their collars, and throw them back into the cart.

Louise was in the middle of the cart and had watched mournfully the two deaths. She had watched as the arrow pierced the children and then as the dogs devoured them. She had cried soundlessly for them before wiping her tears and trying to figure out what was happening.

The first memory that she knew of was waking up with the adult sitting on the horse to their left. He had asked Louise questions after questions, demanding to know what she remembered of her past. 

She had been unable to answer any of his questions. The first memory she had was of him staring down at her. He seemed satisfied with her answer and had led her to the cart where she now was. She was the first child in the cart, sitting there as the adults picked up the other children.

They were given food in the morning and then in the evening. No one ate in the middle of the day. Water was given along with the food however stops for the bathroom were only when they settled down at night. This led to many children losing control of their bladders and filling the cart with the slight scent of urine.

For days on end Louise refused to allow her left hand to fall from her necklace. A black iron cross one of the adults had told her. She was told that there was magic surrounding the necklace and it was bounded to her magical core so that whenever it was attempted to take it away from her it would always come back.

It was the only part of her past that she had.

What magic was on it she didn’t know and the adults didn’t answer. When she had asked a question, any question she was demanded to be quiet or else she will be punished. She had obediently quieted however one of the other children refused to. She constantly asked questions despite the warnings and threats. When she persisted the adults had taken the riding crop they used on the horses and smacked her on both sides of her face; leaving twin cuts on her cheeks. 

Where are they taking us?

That was the main question the children wanted answered. The only thing they truly wanted to know.

Snow and ice started to slowly but surely cover the land. The air grew colder as they continued to press on forward and the children were huddling together, however keeping a firm grip on their belongings, in an effort to remain warm.

Where are they taking us?

Finally, after days on end through their journey, they had arrived. The gate they stopped at rose high and wide; it stretched its boundaries as far as the eye could see. One of the adults had went to the doors and knocked three times.

The gates opened and the cart continued forward until they were in front of the building. A man was standing in front of the building with his hands behind his back waiting for the cart to reach him. He wore a long overcoat and a scarf, his hair and eyes were both slightly purple. 

The cart stopped and the adults ushered the children out of it. Once all of the children were out the cart turned and went back, the adults going with them. The gates closed loudly in the silence.

The man, the few guards they could see, and the children were the only ones remaining.

The man in front of them smiled however it was by no means a nice smile.

“Greetings children.” he said. “My name is Ivan Braginsky and I am your caretaker as of today.” He tilted his head to the side. “However, things here are going to be very different from what any of you are used to.”

“There are many rules here, rules that you will learn and obey.” he continued. He started to pace slightly however he never took his gaze away from the children. “I will tell you some of them now.”

“The first and foremost rule, you will obey my every command.” Ivan said. “There is no room for disobeying here. You disobey, you will be killed. No exceptions. No excuses.”

“Rule number two.” he said. “You will be quiet. Unless I ask a question of one or all of you I am to not hear a single word out of you. Those who disobey will be punished, first time is a beating. Second time is death.”

“Third rule.” Ivan said before he smirked. “Stay in line.”  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Louise stood in line with the other children. As with all his teachings Ivan didn’t believe in appointing others to do any of the work.

This line was for all of their hair. None of them will have long hair as of today and for the first time Ivan was to cut them all himself so they knew for the future what to do.

When it was a child’s turn he grabbed the hair, pulled it down, and cut through it thoroughly and cleanly. Hair was scattered all throughout the ground as the servants cleaned after every few child.

Most of the girls who were waiting were already crying and holding onto their long hair tightly. None of them wished to have it cut.

“When I pull your hair down you pull your head up!” Ivan suddenly thundered. He was screaming to all and to one boy that was on his knees whimpering with his hands pressed at the back of his neck. Blood dripped from his fingers onto the stone floor.

“The cut is not that deep, stop whimpering.” Ivan snapped. He grabbed the next girl and quickly cut her hair.

When it came for Louises turn Ivan took a hold of her hair and yanked it down. Biting back the whimper of pain she kept her head up. 

Ivans knife cut cleanly through her hair. He pushed her to the side and grabbed the next child.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Next came the inspections. Each child’s body was inspected for illness, deformities, or anything else that needed to be brought to attention. At the same time the clothes were taken from the child and they were given a new set of clothes to wear; all of them were identical, and their belongings were searched. 

All the clothes were taken, there was no exception to that. However most of the items were allowed, no questions were asked on the item. It was merely taken by Ivan, looked over, and then more often than not returned. 

The only exception was the few children who had managed to bring a weapon of some sort with them. Those were immediately placed to the side. 

When it came to Louises turn to be inspected she took off her clothes, like all the other children before she was blushing and none of the children would look at her for some semblance of privacy; something Ivan didn’t do as he watched each child carefully, and accepted the clothes he wordlessly gave her. She pulled off her necklace and handed it to him as she dressed in her new clothes.

He had frozen when his hands touched the necklace and his eyes narrowed as he carefully inspected it.

“There is magic on this.” he told her. “A magic that will help you in the future.”

He handed it back to her. “I don’t care where you got it, however know this. Never let it go.”

Louise nodded and quickly went to the side where the other children who were done with the inspection stood.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
They stood in line once more. Fifty one of them, two had died on the trip attempting to escape.

Ivan stared at each and every one of them silently as he seemed to consider his next words.

“This is not a place of love and comfort, support and hugs and kisses.” he said. “You were brought here because no one cares for you. You were brought here to be trained.”

“What are you being trained for?” Ivan asked rhetorically before answering his own question. “You are being trained to kill those who do not deserve to walk on the good earth that the almighty has provided for us.”

“I am talking about of course; vampires, werewolves, witches, and any other creature that is not human.” Ivan said. “Creatures, abominations, that defile our very existence. If you blame anyone for the next years of your lives then you will blame them. Blame them for existing. Because the fact they exist is the reason you will suffer.”

“And you will suffer.” Ivan confirmed. “Each one of you will be beaten severely, regardless of how well you obey my rules.”

Somehow he looked at them and it seemed to the children that he was looking each of them in the eye. 

“I am going to destroy you.” he said softly. “I am going to rip you apart piece by piece. I am going to have each of you go through what you believe is to be a personal hell. And then I will remake you. I will make you strong. I will make you into killers.”

“Oh, but not all of you will live.” he added, a light tone now was clear in his voice. “Most of you will die. In pain and horribly I assure you.” He watched the pale and scared faces of the children. “I have never had a class such as yourselves with more than five graduating students, my biggest graduating class might I add, and I have had classes with children that ranked in the hundreds.”

“Tonight will be the only night where you don’t have to worry about pain, I would suggest savoring it for it will be your last for many, many years.” he said. “I will send you to dinner however first I will let you know a few things.”

He started to pace once more. “The temperature here is constantly cold and at times it can be considered freezing to the point where the human body simply shuts down. Get used to the cold children for neither your clothes nor the blankets on which you will sleep will offer you any warmth. Ice, cold, and snow is now a part of your lives as pain will be.”

“I will be giving all the lessons. This is a school after all so I expect notes to be taken, books and everything else you need for these lessons will be provided of course, and tests will be done. I am not simply training you physically but mentally as well.”

“Sleeping quarters. Each child will share a room with another, you will change your roommates quiet often due to deaths so don’t get used to each person. The partners all depend simply on who you will be standing next to at the time. Please do keep your rooms clean children.”

“You will have three meals. In the morning, midday, and evening. Schedules will be given of what is expected of you.”

“You will find that social norms are no longer applied here, I especially enjoy the ones of the gender expectations and limitations. Those are my favorite to destroy.”

“And last.” Ivan smiled here, that cold smile once more. “I look forward to personally beating each of you to an inch of your life. Enjoy dinner children.”


	5. Chapter 5

Dinner was a completely silent affair.

Their plates had been waiting for them when they entered the dining room table. Baskets of bread were in the middle and water filled the goblets next to the forks and knives.

The children sat gingerly in their seats as they stared at the plates in front of them. Ivan sat in the front of the room with his floor and chair elevated so that he was able to overlook the in the room. 

The children were exchanging glances as they stared down at their plates and their stomachs growled. Ivan simply watched them with that same smile on his face as he entwined his hands together, placed his elbows on the table, and placed his head on top of his hands. He watched the children as they continued to glance around and not say a word.

Poisoned. That was the one thought each of them had towards the food. It was poisoned surely.

Soon one of the braver children, or perhaps the more foolish one, slowly picked up their fork and placed a small bite of the food into his mouth. All of the children stared at him as he swallowed as they waited for him to drop dead from the food. 

When nothing happened he placed a bigger portion of the food into his mouth. When still nothing happened he visibly relaxed and started eating properly. Each of the children eagerly followed his path and quickly dug into the food.

Ivans smile widened and he finally turned to his own food. 

Later each of the children were taken through the corridors where there were countless doors. They stopped in front of each one and a pair of children were pushed into the room before they continued. 

Finally it was Louises turn. Ivan grabbed her by the arm and another boy before pushing the both of them into the room and closing the door behind them. 

Louise and the boy exchanged nervous glances. 

“I’m Louise.” she said quietly.

“Matthew.” he said just as quietly. 

They turned to look around the room. There were two beds. Beside each bed was nightstand with a single drawer and against the wall on each side was a table and a chair.

“Do you know what’s going to happen to us?” Matthew whispered.

Louise shook her head. “I’m scared though.”

“Me too.”  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Breakfast was as silent an affair as dinner of last night had been. The only difference this time was that no one hesitated to start eating. 

After the meal the children were separated by their age group. Ivan had frowned momentarily at the youngest; some of them being merely two and a half, and at the oldest; some being thirteen. He had pursed his lips and nodded to the last group that had twelve children in it with their ages varying from ten to thirteen. 

Servants came forward bearing bows and arrows. Before anyone could do anything or even comprehend the servants the group of ten to thirteen year old children were all shot through their heads. They were dead before they even hit the floor.

Ivan ignored the gasps and cries that came from the other groups; there had been older siblings in the group. 

“Too old.” he said. “I don’t enjoy teaching those who are no longer children.” He glanced to the side to where the youngest group was. “And those who have just reached childhood as well.”

He pursed his lips once more. “What to do. What to do.” they heard him murmur under his breath. Finally he gave a sigh and nodded once more at his servants.

There wasn’t even time to blink as the arrows flew and pierced the youngest children, ages from two and a half to four, through their chests or heads. It had been a group of eleven.

There were now twenty eight children remaining. And it was simply the first day.

“Well now.” Ivan said brightly as he clapped his hands. “Time for classes to start my children.”

Louise tried to ignore the stench of blood that was starting to rise into the air. She breathed through her mouth and felt tears in the corner of her eyes. Her eyes, however, couldn’t ignore the way the blood stood out on the white floor.

As she was ushered into a different group and moved out of the room she couldn’t help but look back once at the group of children that had been killed first. The servants were now quickly gathering the bodies and were scrubbing the floors clean. Her eyes locked onto one of the bodies.

 _‘Goodbye Matthew.’_ she thought.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Time passed in an almost impossible way. 

Each day was almost the same. Being awoken at the first ray of sunlight, breakfast, taken to classes, lunch, and then taken to the physical part of the day before dinner.

The classes went by at a quick pace. The children were expected to learn right and well and be prepared for any surprise test that Ivan had felt like giving them. 

And the punishments were severe. Those who failed to properly participate in class, those who did not do the homework’s that had been assigned, those who had gotten poor marks on the tests, or those who broke a rule were punished. 

Ivan had two ways of punishing a student. The first was a whip that he had. A leather one that was thick and wide, to make it hurt more he had pushed metal spikes through the whip and when he used it the spikes would more often than not bury themselves in whatever was being whipped. Those children who received the whip had deep wounds that would take days if not week s to heal.

The second weapon he favored was a curved metal pipe that was encrusted with dried blood. It seemed to be his favorite because he used it the more often than the whip. 

Even those who hadn’t broken any of the rules or received bad marks would be punished, if only so they knew what it felt like.

The first time Louise had gotten the pipe her arm had been broken in three different places and a few of her ribs had been snapped. 

The first time she had gotten the whip she had blacked out from the pain and awoke in the healing room the next day. 

And she was punished, of course, for missing a day of classes. However Ivan did wait until her bones had completely healed before punishing her.

In their classes they learned the same subjects those of high born would have learned. Math, history, literature, languages, sciences, philosophy, geography, zoology, botany, and many other topics. They learned quickly in fear of punishment and in fear of what might happen. 

The other set of classes however was another source of dread from the children. 

That was where they learned to fight, defend, and kill. 

Ivan taught them the ways of the sword, bows and arrows, axes, and hand to hand combat. He taught them to use a weapon out of anything that they might have available to them and how to use their bodies to their fullest potential. 

If he or a servant weren’t practicing with the children then they practiced with one another. Ivan immediately would know when one child would go easier on another because of pity or because of tiredness. Both of the children would be punished, at times all the children would be punished merely because Ivan felt that the lesson should be more firmly taught.

He drove them to exhaustion and then continued onward, headless of their pain and the fact that they were no longer able to go on. The children were barely able to bring themselves to the dining hall never mind actually eating their meal. Somehow each night the children managed to get to their beds and would fall asleep the moment that climbed into the bed.

The first three months that passed eleven children died. Either because of their wounds or because of an accident in the physical classes.

Seventeen children remained.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
It was at random, which child he picked next. Sometimes it was more than one. However one thing stayed the same. All of the children had to watch. It wasn’t a humiliation game. It was teaching.

All of the children stood in a single line, shoulder to shoulder. Ivan slowly walked by them looking for someone. If one child’s hair was too long they were grabbed from the line, the hair quickly was cut, and the child was pushed back into the line.

“How many times do I have to tell you?” Ivan sighed. “Each morning you take the back of your hair and pull. If the area between your head and your hand is enough to slide the knife through then you cut.”

Suddenly his eyes narrowed and he raised his arm to grab Louise and another boy and threw them against the wall.

“Strip.” Ivan commanded his voice as cold as the weather outside. “Then hands on the wall.”

Louise tried to keep her hands steady as she pulled off her shirt and pants. She then turned and placed her hands on the wall. The boy next to her did the same and she tried not to stare at him. 

In all truth all the children, all fifty one of them, had been naked in front of one another so often they no longer were embarrassed. But it was considered polite at least not to look.

Ivan rummaged through a bag at his feet before he pulled out his favorite whip, thick leather one with spikes pushed through the skin. Louise took a deep breath to ready herself, she could see the boy next to her shaking slightly.

“Count out loud.” Ivan said, the only warning they got before he raised his arm and snapped the whip forward.

Louise bit her lip to hold back any noise although the boy let out a yelp. From the smoothness of his skin it showed this whipping was his first compared to the scars on Louises back, legs, and arms.

“One.” the two of them said.

Ivan brought the whip down again. Louise held back a scream; one of the spikes had gotten caught in her shoulder.

“Two.”

It soon became automatic, counting the numbers out loud; they didn’t even know which number they were on. The whip and spikes continued to slice through their skin. Occasionally a spike would get caught in one of them and Ivan would simply use the whip to yank it free, sometimes causing deeper wounds.

“Fifteen.”

Only Louise said the number, the boy had collapsed onto the ground whimpering.

“Well now, will you look at that.” Ivan said softly, it was worse than when he yelled. “Will you look at that.”

He turned to the children that had been standing and watching. “Children pray tell, what is it that the outside tells us of women?”

He pointed to a girl and she immediately said “That they are weak.”

“And?”

“Cannot do anything of value.”

“And?”

“Are inferior in every sense to man.”

“Correct.” Ivan said nodding. He spread his hands towards Louise and the boy. “Now what is this that we see here? A boy, whom society deems superior to all, and a girl, whom society deems inferior to all, being punished. Who fell first?”

“The boy.” the children said together.

“Who is stronger?”

“The girl.”

“Who continued to stand?”

“The girl.”

Ivan smiled. “I am being unfair however, I left something important out. This is the first time that the boy is whipped. However for the girl this is her fourth or fifth, perhaps more. According to the society even though the girl is used to this she should have still been the first one to fall. What does that tell us?”

“Society is wrong.” the children said.

“Again.”

“Society is wrong.”

“Again!”

“Society is wrong!”

“Never.” Ivan growled. “Ever, allow others to tell you what to believe. Nor tell you how to act. Nor anything else. All, if given the proper and the same tools, can be equal in every way.”

He glanced at Louise who still had her hands on the wall and the boy who was sitting on his knees on the floor, both had their heads bowed and were waiting for further instructions.

“Get dressed.” Ivan said softly. “Go the healing room to look over the wounds, I won’t have anything getting infected. As for the rest of you,” he turned to face the remaining children. “I assure you, this is one of the lessons that I will make sure you never forget for the rest of your lives. Regardless of how long or short they will be.”


End file.
